With the World Cup over two weeks ago, DNA of Sports is starting its traditional presentation, franchise by franchise, of the upcoming NBA season. Like every year, this takes the form of a countdown, from the teams expected in the depths of the ranking to our favorite for the title. Today, place in Orlando.
The Magic failed to return to the playoffs in 2023 but with 34 successes last season, twelve more than the previous season, they finished with their best record since the 2018/19 financial year. A notable progress, especially after a failed start to the season with only 5 victories after 25 matches. Jamahl Mosley’s team then recovered and can rely on a promising leader in Paolo Banchero.
The coach welcomed the summer calm to play on continuity. It will also be necessary to capitalize on the successful summers in the national team of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, to give more depth to an attack which lacks breath and efficiency. Rookie Anthony Black and Joe Ingles will be able to help in this area. If the Magic maintains its defensive intensity from the second part of last season and goes up a notch in attack, then it can hope to have a thrilling end to the 2023/2024 season.
But for that, we must confirm the promises of last season and it is always a perilous exercise…
SUMMER MOVEMENTS
Arrivals: Anthony Black, Jett Howard, Joe Ingles
Departures: Bowl Bowl
THE PLAYER TO FOLLOW: PAOLO BANCHERO
Already very interesting for two years in Florida, Franz Wagner clearly has the profile of the player to follow this season, to know whether or not he will succeed in his successful and golden World Cup with Germany. But the one who carries the Magic, and therefore who has the cards in hand to make it an ambitious team, is Paolo Banchero.
With his 20 points and 6.9 rebounds on average, he was quite logically elected rookie of the year. With the interior, the Magic have a real offensive danger, who can constantly weigh on defenses and recover free throws, even if there is still room for improvement since their shooting efficiency is far from perfect and their choices are still sometimes doubtful, especially when he launches into one-on-one sequences.
He too must confirm and take advantage of his experience with Team USA to correct his small faults. With the national team, he was surrounded by very good coaches and players for several weeks and his performances during the competition were solid (9.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game), particularly on the defensive level, for such an inexperienced player. , who only had one season in the NBA in his legs and is, remember, only 20 years old. Faced with this observation and with Orlando’s ambitions, this is the year of takeoff for him.
Average age: 24.3 years
Payroll: $139 million (27th)
THE IDEAL SCENARIO
The continuity advocated by Jamahl Mosley turns into an advantage for Orlando. The Magic resume the season where they left off last, with an aggressive and intense defense. With their summer, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are no longer the same players and they have clearly taken on a new dimension.
In addition to the presence of Joe Ingles, always useful when it comes to making the right reads, the attack becomes more effective with better address from a distance, which changes a lot of things.
Especially as the good news continues: Markelle Fultz confirms that he is comfortable in Orlando, Jalen Suggs finally shows his potential and Jonathan Isaac, absent or almost for three years, is returning to an interesting level. All these little people are well put to music and with its qualities (physical density), but also its limits (external address), this group manages to stay in the race for the “play-in” until the end of the season.
THE WORST SCENARIO
The dynamic of the second part of the season is broken. The Magic had surprised the opponents with its aggressiveness and its physical density, but the bellows quickly fell and the same faults returned, with a muddled attack which relied too much on Paolo Banchero.
The latter has the strength to score a lot and get whistles, but he often isolates himself within an attack with a clear lack of spacing. Like his team, he is not really progressing.
Jalen Suggs and Jonathan Isaac are still treading water and the group lacks balance, especially since the Wagner brothers are paying physically for their World Cup won with Germany.
For Jamahl Mosley, the lack of progress is difficult to swallow after last year’s promises. His team is ultimately only very average, never managing to find an identity or string together victories. A gloomy season therefore for Orlando, without any relief, with ultimately less success than in 2022/2023.
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| 15 – Blazers | 14 – Spurs | 13 – … | 12 – … | 11 – … |
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| EAST CONFERENCE | ||||
| 15 – Hornets | 14 – Pistons | 13 – Wizards | 12 – Magic | 11 – … |
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| 5 – … | 4 – … | 3 – … | 2 – … | 1 – … |
